A former aide to pop star Cheryl Cole was among five adventurers who lost their lives after being caught in a devastating blizzard while trekking through Chile's Patagonia region.
The Tragic Incident Unfolds
Victoria Bond, a 40-year-old PR worker from Cornwall, was tragically killed on Monday when 120mph blasts of snow and ice hammered the Torres del Paine nature reserve, Chile's most visited tourist destination. The experienced adventurer had previously worked as an assistant for Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole and Peaky Blinders actress Annabelle Wallis.
Ms Bond died alongside two German and two Mexican tourists when horrific weather conditions struck the Patagonian park, famous for its dramatic granite peaks, glaciers and diverse wildlife. The sudden storm plunged trekkers into a deadly deluge of snow, sleet, ice and powerful winds that proved fatal for the five visitors.
Desperate Rescue Mission
The tragedy began when Ms Bond's group of nine adventurers went missing as the ferocious storm struck. An urgent alarm was raised on Facebook with a desperate message reading: 'There is too much snow and some people are stuck on John Garner Pass. We need urgent help; both the climbers and the rescuers are in danger of death'.
A rescue effort managed to locate four members of the group, including Ms Bond's friend Chris Aldridge, a television director who spoke to the Daily Mail about the harrowing experience. Mr Aldridge revealed he believed he and everyone with him were going to perish on the icy peaks of the nature reserve during the ordeal.
'Most of the time I was thinking, "Oh, this is where we die",' the British survivor admitted. He described how endless snow rushed into his face as he hurtled down the mountain, his feet and hands beginning to succumb to the biting cold that had started to sink in.
Questions Over Safety Protocols
Serious questions have emerged about how preventable this tragedy might have been. Compounding the emergency situation, park rangers who would normally coordinate immediate rescue missions were unavailable, having been called back to their hometowns to vote in Sunday's general election - the first to enforce compulsory voting since 2012.
As a result, fellow hikers and volunteers at the camps organised a makeshift rescue force to try to find the missing individuals. Mr Aldridge expressed bittersweet pride in the hard work everyone at the camp put into rescuing the missing few, noting that 'everyone came together in the most extraordinary way' despite their own struggles.
A friend of Ms Bond reiterated concerns in a post to her Instagram page, stating clearly: 'There was no official search organised by the park authorities that day.'
CONAF, the body responsible for Chile's national parks, has since released a statement expressing deep regret for the tragedy and confirming they will review safety and communication protocols in the park's circuits together with concessionaires. The organisation stated its commitment to 'strengthening prevention and emergency response capacity' and ensuring visitor safety at one of the country's most valuable natural heritage sites.
